44 • Locate adrenals by palpating tissues immediately anterior to kidneys. Excise and
hemisect both adrenals and inspect cut surfaces. • Blunt dissect the kidneys from the body wall to assist tracing of the attached ureters to
the neck of the bladder. • Palpate the udder to detect gross lesions
• Incise and inspect the four quarters of the udder, major milk sinuses and teats collecting samples for histology if necessary.
• Test a sample of urine for pH and ketones using a test strip. Incise the bladder wall to insert a dipstick, or aspirate a sample using a syringe and needle.
• Open the bladder and inspect the mucosa. • Remove and inspect female and male genitalia as required.
• Estimate the age of the bovine or ovine foetus using the following formula:
Gestational age in months = √[crown-rump length in inches x 2]
6.3.9 Seventh step — the head revisited
• Examine the eyes and excise if necessary. • Section the masseter muscles, examine the mandibles, teeth and buccal mucosa
• If protocol dictates, remove the brain and pituitary gland. Advice on how to do this is
given in other sections of the Handbook. Brain removal would normally only be performed if there was a history of nervous signs,
or where the rumen contents were excessive and other findings were absent and so suggestive of enterotoxaemia.
• If only the brainstem is required, sample it via the foramen magnum using a modified spoon. The brainstem would be required in cases where there were no significant
history or postmortem findings suggestive of cause of death. See other sections for method.
• Sever the ears to expose the middle ear. Do this last as the ears serve as occasional handles up to this point
6.3.10 Eighth step — examine the feet and limbs
• Examine soles, white lines and the interdigital space of all four feet for lesions. Lameness and swelling of the leg where no obvious skin or interdigital wound is
apparent is almost always caused by microscopic punctures of the sole or white line, with subsequent bacterial infection.
• Palpate all limbs, especially joints, for swelling and crepitus and cut into these areas if found.
• Joints are sometimes most easily levered open from the medial aspect. The stifle joint is best opened by cutting the dorsal and medial patellar ligament and reflecting the patella
laterally. Reflect the skin and place a bold cut in the medial joint capsule so that the joint can be levered open. Look for the presence of a cloudy change to the synovial fluid or
reddening and thickening of synovial membranes.
• Incise major muscle masses of upper limbs and back and collect peripheral nerves if indicated by history or protocol.
45 • Cut down onto the diaphysis of the femur of the reflected hind leg and smash with
hatchet or sledge hammer to examine bone marrow. Animals that are mobilising fat reserves will show a watery or gelatinous appearance to the marrow fat.
6.3.11 Ninth step — to the spinal column
• Cut between individual cervical, thoracic or lumbar vertebrae with a hatchet and light sledge hammer and dissect free with a knife. Remove the spinal cord from each
vertebra by snipping nerve roots and meninges with scissors and pushing with the plunger from a 2mL syringe to extract the segment of the cord.
Sampling need only occur if there are clinical signs referable to the spinal cord.
6.3.12 Tenth step — on completion
• Make written notes of necropsy findings while fresh in your mind. • Download photographs onto computer and record case numbers in file name or
extension.
• Complete the NecropsyDead Cattle Report form using neat printed writing so that
forms can be easily read and photocopied. • This Handbook provides advice on terminology and common errors of interpretation to
help with report writing.
6.3.13 Final step — cleaning up and packaging
